What is left of us
by all.the.bright.places
Summary: Those who survived the trip outside the city, return to dauntless head-quarters in the early hours of the morning. They overlook the city as it wakes up, with no memory of war, factions, Jeanine and the destruction; preparing for a new life.


**Tobias's POV**

Jeanine's war split the fabric of our community, but that was inevitable. Discovering the truth revealed just how twisted and broken the real world was, but it brought us closer together than we could've done ourselves. The eight of us stand, looking out on a city that will wake up with an erased memory, ready to start again – with no regrets – a new life, provide courtesy of the Abnegation serum. But they are the lucky ones, not all of us are allowing ourselves the chance of forgetting. Of course, the evidence of war will still be there (just like before); as will the clear divide between sectors of run-down slums, the plain, neat grey houses of the abnegation sector, the spread out farming huts near the outskirts, and the three tall towers: one black concrete, one white tile and one clear glass. But they will stand as reminders of what happens when society splits and breaks, when the way of life is questioned and distorted, and when dictators become too personally invested.

In the glass of the pier, I study our reflection: Shauna, in her chair, staring not at the city but at Zeke one hand in his, the other tightly holding Hector – her brother – they had both refused immediately when asked to take the serum. They couldn't forget Lynn. Every single one of us standing here owes it to the people we lost in the war, our friends: Marlene, Lynn, Uriah, Will. Tris. Of course the temptation is there. We fought in the war, we watched Jeanine carry out the systematic destruction of everything and everyone we loved, I've certainly seen some things I wish I hadn't. But I can't risk it. Tris gave me hope when everything I knew was falling apart, she was my safety net. But now someone's cut the ropes, and I'm falling; I have to stay strong for her though, she trusts me; she's relying on me to land safely on my feet.

Caleb breaks the silence, "It will never be the same, you know." He says, to no one in particular. His voice is steady; however recently his showcase of a variety of emotions has accompanied us; to the extent that Cara (who is still undisputedly the leader through some sort of telepathic unspoken law) has had to ask him to re-asses his decision to stay in the city which 'holds so many memories of her, for you' before Cara speaks to him again I will remind her she is speaking to someone who reasonably recently helped in the attempt to kill Tris.

"Caleb," Christina says a laugh in her voice that makes it crack, "For an Erudite, you're really not that smart." Her voice is light, joking, but Caleb hasn't really been in the mood for joking lately, perhaps it's something to do with the fact he may as well have killed Tris. Although maybe I should stop with the whole sarcastic comments about Caleb; more than once I have vocalised my opinions on this specific topic, to be received incredibly badly by Caleb.

"You just shut up, okay?" he yells, "You don't know anything about me, you don't know anything about anything." his sobs punctuate each sentence and echo around. I never knew the Pier echoed, but then I'd never been in the Pier when there were only eight people there. Memories are flooding back, of waiting, fists clenched among the sweaty people surrounding me, eyes fixed on the screen watching Tris fight her demons that to me are invisible. Or of my own initiation, palms sweating as people clapped me on the back, 'Wow, four fears! That's got to be a record, even by dauntless standards.' 'That kids a legacy.' 'What's your name, son?" _Son,_ that word had stopped me in my tracks; Marcus and his belt. I squared my shoulders. Time to leave Tobias behind. "My name's **Four**."

A small smile plays across my lips at the memory, but I know Christina has a short temper, especially when it comes to dealing with Caleb.

"Okay, I may not be erudite, but we all know that erudite people may be rich in knowledge, but common sense fails them more than not." Christina took a step towards him, and it strikes me then, she's ready to fight, she is on the balls of her feet, her feet shoulder-width apart one slightly in front of the other; one arm held clenched behind you and the other by your side, ready to block any punches. The exact stance I had taught all transfer initiates the day they started fighting in the ring.

It's both satisfying and terrifying for the very same smart-mouth Candor girl who questioned my name, using the same fighting technique as I taught her, proof, that I had earned her respect. She couldn't be any different to the first time I saw her – or _heard_ her, because the first thing I noticed was her screams as she jumped into the net, marking her acceptance into the dauntless compound. At the same time I know that I have to interfere before it gets serious. Cara gets there first, grabbing Christina by her arm, "Come on, Tris wouldn't have wanted you to fight her brother." Christina backs away, not losing eye-contact with Caleb.

Caleb gains confidence suddenly when she is further away, pointing at her and saying, "Oh, _her_ , yes of course that's what it's about. You hate me because She Killed Your Boyfriend." He shouted the last three words. Christina turns, as does Cara and – having caught their attention – Caleb seems unable to stop talking, "Yeah and you," he points to Cara, "Your brother, you hate me." he pauses, mostly for effect, or perhaps to think of something that sounds good. "Because I'm the only Prior left to blame." Whichever motive was behind the pause, he pulled it off.

Christina runs at him, but Caleb, anticipating this move, starts running towards the lift. And – surprisingly – he can out run Christina. But before Caleb can reach the doors, they open, revealing, admittedly, the last person I expected to see: Peter.

He looks confused, but not surprised to see Caleb being chased by Christina and, amusement flashes across his face; disappearing the second he notices me. He attempts to pass the fight unnoticed by either participant but Christina immediately stops running to stare open mouthed at him. He walks along the corridor, muttering greeting to people, ''Zeke' he nods, passing him, but Zeke completely ignores him, turning back to stare at the city. Peter stops in front of me.

"Four." He says, staring at his feet, "I just wanted to tell you that… um. You know."

"Look at me when you are speaking to Me." my voice is quiet, but acidic. And forceful enough to make Zeke place a hand on my arm, Christina to tense and Matthew to take three, careful steps backward. Peter looks up.

"Four, I'm-"

"No time for your apologies Peter." I stay calm and slowly turn my back to him, "We have a city to rebuild." I stare at him reflected in the glass. He is the one that made all this happen. Jeanine ruined my city, but Peter ruined my life.

 _One, two, three, four._ _ **Five.**_

I turn push peter backwards and shout, "Get Out Of My Sight." Zeke grabs my arms but Peter is already running towards the exit pushing past a surprised Caleb and an angry Christina.

"Wha- what was that all about?" Caleb whispers, his voice shaking.

Shauna, still facing the city, answers her voice hard, cold and unforgiving. "It was about Peter being the only person in the world worse than you, Caleb Prior. It was about him attempting to apologise-"

"By my calculations a year too late," Matthew offers.

"For the deaths of all our friends," Shauna finishes.

Silence falls, broken only what must be ten minutes later by Hector, fists clenched, defiant tone: "It was about Peter being an even bigger idiot than you, Caleb prior." His voice is accusatory, and all the heads turn to Caleb.

From Tris' brother, I would have expected a little more than a quiet, "I'm not the second worst person in the world."

The room seems to unite in a collective collage of 'Mmhm? Yeah, right. Sure'.

"I'm not. Jeanine's-"

"Dead" Hector finishes. I'm beginning to think he would have made a brilliant Dauntless.

Cara, who is probably the only person in the room who still has (or ever had) Caleb's respect, proceeds to lose it.

"Caleb, I'm beginning to think the _wrong_ Prior survived." Her steely eyes meet Caleb's and his own tears turn to stone.

"Likewise."


End file.
